Do you have a special pencil which you use to put layout lines on dark wood like walnut?

Danl

I use a white art pencil. You can get them from places like Michaels. Staples also has them but they are usually multiple packed.

I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased the pencil shown below.  I did not like the results.  The line produced was wide, required a lot of pressure to apply, and was hard to see.

 

Then I went to Michael's and purchased the pen shown.  You have to move the pen at a slower rate when what you do with a lead pencil, but it gives a visible 0.5 mil line.  to remove the line does take move effort than what the white dressmaker pencil requires.  I think the Gelly Roll pen will be what I will be using.  Thanks for your input.   Danl

 

Thanks for the tip, Dan. Didn't know Gelly Roll made white ones. 

Thank Dan for the question, research and the answer you  came up with!

To draw directly as shown, a white pen works very well.  To transfer a pattern, use cheap chalk on the back of the sheet, tape it to the wood, trace on the pattern which then transfers the chalk to the wood.  

The following pencil was recommended by Woodmagazine in a back issue.  Danl

This is an old post but a new update.  The Wood Whisperer made a Youtube video on Marking on dark wood recently. See this. 

Just FYI

Danl

Thanks!  I mostly use the white artist pencil- not the charcoal one 

If you can't find your white pencil (it was here somewhere last week), you can put down a strip of painter's tape and use your regular pencil. 

 

 For rough cuts, like just getting pieces a bit oversize to joint/plane/etc., I use white chalk.

I tried the white pencil and found it didn't work well for me. 

 

So, I just use an Ultra Fine Sharpie. Nice clear lines and it all sands away later in the process.

1 hour ago, Headhunter said:

I tried the white pencil and found it didn't work well for me. 

 

So, I just use an Ultra Fine Sharpie. Nice clear lines and it all sands away later in the process.

Denatured alcohol removes Sharpie.   I've removed a lot of it from furniture that way.  Wet a cloth and lightly rub.

On 9/15/2021 at 2:41 PM, kmealy said:

If you can't find your white pencil (it was here somewhere last week), you can put down a strip of painter's tape and use your regular pencil. 

 

 For rough cuts, like just getting pieces a bit oversize to joint/plane/etc., I use white chalk.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2018/03/15/use-white-tape-mark-difficult-woods

One advantage to using tape for penciling cut lines is that it gives you a cleaner cut.